Paddling GlovesTom Watson reviews some general optionsfor protecting hands while out paddling:Simple neoprene, poggies, scuba gloves, etcQuick Tips for Canoe Camping TripsKevin Callan passes along some simple tricks he as learned over the years aboutcamping and paddling.. with videos too!

He doesn't (didn't?) own a car at all. Got around with the folder on public transportation.

That's a bit too much for me, but I'm very happy to all but eliminate automotive dependency for routine stuff. It's how I lived for years in greater Boston; my first truck was only used on weekends to get away from the metropolis.

While sometimes inconvenient and often more time-consuming than just driving to everything, there's a feeling of freedom that comes from *choosing* how to get around instead of being stuck with only one way. I really love seeing everything around me at a slower pace. Best of all is being in a small town that's lively all year-'round yet there's uncrowded singletrack, farms, and beaches...all within city limits.

The really fun stuff comes when we're in the new house. I'll be able to take multiday trips without driving at all. If I plan well, I can combine the kayaking with hopping the ferry, too, and go farther away. If that's not motivation for keeping "at" learning more, nothing is.

Funny, a bigger adjustment than driving much less is realizing that there's no such thing now as sea kayaking without a wetsuit or drysuit (unless I drive inland to a warm, or at least not cold, lake). And I wear the PFD 100% of the time I'm on salt water.

Every time I see someone with a folding bike, which is fairly often, I think of your post about that.